4. VALERIE

It's been weeks since I had refused Victor's suggestion of getting to know each other and he will not stop pestering me.

“Valerie gets me that or Valerie you didn't wash my bathroom neat. Can you rewash it?” Did he think if he does that, I will beg him to be with him? No, never...

“What are you thinking about so seriously, Val” Audrey said as she watched me a little bit longer.

“Nothing,” I replied, smiling at her as I gathered my bag and got ready to leave for my dance classes.

Audrey was taking painting classes at an art studio close to the Thompson's estate while Lisa was taking cooking classes like I had imagined she would.

Gia on the other hand was pursuing her love for writing. She took writing classes at the art centre also.

We all walked outside to where we will part ways as I was the only one going to the dance classes. Audrey, Gia and Lisa always stroll down to the art centre while I drive the bus to the Thompson's Media House. Mrs. Thompson walked out of the door with Victor beside her who was rushing to go to work.

“Good morning, mom Diana and young master Victor” We all greeted them.

“Good morning, Audrey, Lisa and Gia. You are off to school, right?” She asked them, looking at them with smiles on her face.

“Yes” They all replied

“Okay, off you go then” she said dismissing them as they turned to leave while Gia kept on gawking at Victor. I rolled my eyes at her “Oh! Valerie, you too?” Mom Diana said as her eyes finally landed on me.

“Yes, mom,” I replied shyly. I still haven't gotten used to all the love and affection she has given me.

“Good. Victor darling, be a good boy and take Valerie with you” Mom Diana said as I froze looking at Victor expecting him to refuse which he didn't disappoint.

“But mom________”

“No but darling, you both are going the same way. What's the harm in it anyway and moreover Valerie is like a sister to you” Mom Diana said as she pushed me into the car? I walked slowly into it and sat down while Victor got in beside me, frowning as he pulled off the driveway.

Mom Diana stood waving at us while Audrey, Gia and Lisa were both surprised with their mouths opened. I wave to them on our way out smiling.

I sat rigid on the car like a statue not moving. Victor kept glancing at me like he wanted to say something but I never gave him a chance to......

“You don't have to raise your guard when you are with me. I don't bite” He suddenly said, causing me to look at him shocked.

“I don't do that” I scoff at him, before turning to look out of the window. I just wish I was taking the bus; I would have appreciated the scenery more than I'm doing right now.

“You are doing that. Ever since I asked to know you more, you've been avoiding me and when we are together, you are always on edge” He replied shrugging.

“Excuse you! I don't do that. Maybe my body perceived you as a danger but that was not intentional”.

He mumbled something to himself as he swivelled the car into the parking space of the company. I opened the car door and walked out immediately. I saw his personal assistant on her heels to meet him.

“Wait!!“He suddenly called out to me, I turned to look at him with my arms folded across my chest “I’m not done talking with you”.

“Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm done talking to you” With that I walk out of him into the reception. I greeted Candy who was in her usual seat and strolled into the elevator that will take me to my dance floor.

Getting out of the elevator, I was surprised to see everyone scattered about in the hallway. A quick glance at my watch tells me that it was past our dance class.

I shyly walked past everyone to a girl who was standing alone at the far corner of the hallway. She was typing away on her phone as her slim face with pointed nose displaced all kinds of emotion.

“Excuse me “I said shyly, trying to get her attention since she seems the odd one out of all these wealthy people here.

She continued typing on her phone, I guess she didn't hear me. I walk closer to her and tap her lightly on her shoulder “Hi!” I smile shyly at her as her brown eyes look at me questionably.

“Hi!” She answers back with a smile on her pretty face.

“I’m sorry to disturb you but what's going on here? “I said as I pointed to everyone in the hallway.

“Oh! This?” She asked knowingly with a slight smile showing her dimples. I like her a lot.

“Mrs Shelley said we are going to pick our dance partner today, that's why we are all here waiting for her. Oh! Here she comes” she said excitedly, pointing to our dance teacher who was walking briskly to us in a tight pink jogger and a white crop top.

“Thank you” I mouthed to her after Mrs Shelley had reached us.

“Okay people. Are you all ready to know your dance partner?” She asked, looking at us as we all gathered around her.

“Yes, Mrs Shelley!!” We all replied excitedly.

“Good” she said as she took out some rolled up paper and dropped them inside a little basket, she brought with her.

“Here inside this basket is the name of all the ladies in this class. I want all the men to pick it one after the other and the name you picked will be your dance partner”.

“Wow! That's so cool!” The lady with the phone exclaimed excitedly beside me. The men were asked to go, they all picked and we all gathered around them to see what they picked. Luckily for me, no one picked me. I guess I will be the sole dancer of myself. I smiled sadly as we all went into the studio.

The studio was like any dance studio you will see around, with two big speakers at each side of the room. A pole for dancing for those who are interested in learning pole dancing. The room was wide enough to contain one hundred people but we were only thirty. Fifteen men and fifteen ladies.

“Okay people,” Mrs Shelley's voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I turned to see that everyone had paired up with their partner while I was at the centre with no one.

“Miss Williams, why are you here?” Mrs Shelley asked me, frowning. I was surprised, I never knew she knew my name at all. Hell! I thought no one here cared about me to ask for my name.

“I___don't___have a__part_ner” I stuttered shyly as I looked down at the floor.

“Of course, you do,” She smiled apologetically at me “but he's late again” she said as she glanced at the door, like the person she is expecting will walk in any moment from now.

“Okay. Miss Williams stayed to that side and watched the rest perform while we waited for your partner” she said as I walked to the far corner of the room and sat down on the floor.

“Okay, people. Are you ready?” She asked them as she walked to where the speaker was and took the remote.

“Yes, Mrs Shelley” They all replied excitedly. I was excited as well as I stood up to join them to hell with my dance partner or not. I love dancing.

“Okay. Follow my leads. One, two, three, go” She played the music as we followed her leads and moved in synchronisation to the song.

“That's really beautiful. I see you Valerie” she said as she smiled at me after pausing the music.

“I want everyone to start from the right and when it's getting to the end, you all spin your partner around three times. Okay” She explained as we all nodded in response.

“Okay. Seven. Six. Five. Go” She played the music again as we all danced from the right to the left then back to the front and then the spinning part. I stopped and watched as they all spun their partners as the ladies couldn't stop giggling just as the music came to an end.

“Wow!! Mrs Shelley that was such a spectacular performance” Victor said smiling as he strolls to where Mrs Shelley was standing clapping his hands excitedly. My heart skipped a beat as all the ladies all turned to gawk at him.

“Victor!!” Mrs Shelley exclaimed, smiling as he pecked her cheeks, “you are late again. I don't know why you take dance classes when you know you will always be late” She scolded him playfully grinning. His lips twitched up in a smile as he raised his eyebrow at her.

“Okay, people. Gather around” Mrs Shelley said, clapping her hands excitedly as we all stood up from the floor to gather around her.

“I'm sure you all know Victor Thompson here. He is the CEO of Thompson's Media which is this company and an actor but inside this class he's not going to be any of that. He will be a regular student as you all are” The ladies all ‘Ohs!’ and ‘ahs!’ as I rolled my eyebrow at them snorting.

“What's there to like about him? Nothing!” I mumble inaudibly to myself.

“Miss Williams '' Mrs Shelley called out to me as her eyes searched around for me. I walked out from where I stood at the back to meet her.

“Good!” She said as soon as she saw me “Victor here will be your dance partner for as long as this class hold”

“What!” I exclaimed. I can't believe this is happening to me. First, I was assigned his personal maid at home. Now, I'm his dance partner. Why can't he leave me alone? Don't he know, he's choking me.

Victor smiled at me while I glared at him getting pissed up. I've enjoyed all my dance classes up until this moment but I'm not very sure I will be enjoying anymore of it, now that he is here. Hell! I've not been enjoying my time at home since he arrived.

My face pulls up in a frown while my fist all clenched up, I feel like punching the wall right now. To think that my world will be turned upside down a second time and I'm helplessly watching.

“Okay people,” Mrs Shelley's voice brought me out of my thoughts as I turned to look at her while Victor was watching me curiously. I avoided his eyes.

“Let's do that one more time. Pair up with your partner. Victor and Valerie watch and learn” Mrs Shelley said as she walked up to the speaker and played it.

Victor walked up to me wearing a smirk on his face. I glare at him; I feel like wiping that smirk off his face with my punch.

“Finally, I get to hold you close to me and do all that I so wish” Victor whispered huskily as he lowered his hands to grab mine as he dragged me to his chest.

I looked up at him since he was taller than me. “In your dreams” I replied as we both followed Mrs Shelley's instruction and danced from the left to the right and back up.

“Wow!! I'm so happy. I have the best dancers in my class” Mrs Shelley exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly as she praised us after she had paused the music.

“You dance so well, Milady,” Victor whispered in my ear as he bowed to me and walked away. I rolled my eyes at him as I turned to listen to what Mrs Shelley was saying.

“That will be all for today. I will see you all on Wednesday. Bye!” She said as we all went to grab our backpacks preparing to go home.

“Wait for me outside. I will drive you home” Victor said, walking outside to his office. I cursed at his retreating back as I walked outside to the bus stop after saying goodbye to Candy.

I sat down on the bus and it pulled out of the bus stand and drove me home.